Halogen-Free Ionic Liquid for Heat-Resistant Green Solvent Applications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ionic liquids often contain halogen atoms, leading to environmental concerns and high production costs, and lack both good heat resistance and hydrophobic properties, which are necessary for effective separation from water.

Innovation Solution

A halogen-free ionic liquid composed of an asymmetric tetraalkylphosphonium cation with long alkyl chains and a trialkylsilyl group-containing alkylsulfonic acid anion, which exhibits excellent heat stability and hydrophobic properties, allowing for easy separation from water.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If ionic liquids contain fluorine atoms to improve heat resistance, then heat stability is improved, but environmental impact increases and production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat stabilityVSAvoidenvironmental impact
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing fluorinated anions with non-fluorinated carboxylate anions while adjusting the cation structure (using tetraalkylphosphonium with specific alkyl chain lengths) to achieve the desired heat stability without fluorine atoms. This parameter substitution resolves the contradiction between heat stability and environmental impact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If ionic liquids are made hydrophobic by adding fluorine atoms, then phase separation with water is improved, but environmental impact increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvephase separationVSAvoidenvironmental impact
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition by using non-fluorinated carboxylate anions combined with tetraalkylphosphonium cations having appropriate alkyl chain lengths (where the alkyl groups contain 4-20 carbon atoms). This compositional parameter change achieves hydrophobicity and phase separation without relying on fluorine atoms, thereby reducing environmental impact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If ionic liquids use non-fluorinated anions to reduce environmental impact, then environmental friendliness is improved, but heat resistance decreases and viscosity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidheat resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite ionic liquid system by combining tetraalkylphosphonium cations with specific alkyl chain compositions (4-20 carbon atoms) and non-fluorinated carboxylate anions. This composite structure achieves both environmental friendliness and adequate heat resistance by leveraging the synergistic effects of the cation-anion combination and alkyl chain characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Ease of manufacture

If ionic liquids use simple structures to reduce production cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but heat resistance and hydrophobicity are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidheat resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes structural parameters by specifying tetraalkylphosphonium cations with alkyl groups containing 4-20 carbon atoms and non-fluorinated carboxylate anions. This parameter optimization achieves the desired heat resistance and hydrophobicity while maintaining reasonable production costs by avoiding complex fluorinated structures and using readily available carboxylic acid components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2730582B1Ionic liquid
Publication Date: 2016.09.07 NISSHINBO HOLDINGS INC
  • EP2730582B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2730582B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2730582B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An ionic liquid characterized by comprising a phosphonium salt represented by formula (1), which has such characteristic properties that no halogen atom is contained, thermal stability is excellent and hydrophobicity is exerted. (In the formula, R1 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R2 represents an alkyl group having 8 to 20 carbon atoms; R3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and n represents an integer of 1 to 12; wherein the number of carbon atoms in R2 is greater than that in R1.)